


Starlight

by paxambabes



Series: His Universe [1]
Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Aliens, Alternate Universe - Aliens, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Apocalypse, Existential Angst, Fluff, M/M, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-19
Updated: 2017-12-19
Packaged: 2019-02-17 05:58:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13070577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paxambabes/pseuds/paxambabes
Summary: Jack was always fascinated by the universe, but he never expected to fall in love with it, literally.AKA the one where Mark is the embodiment of the actual universe.





	Starlight

**Author's Note:**

> So this is a weird little fic that nobody wants but oh well. It was originally gonna include porn, but I decided against it. This whole thing is inspired by the songs Starlight and Satellite by Starset, so be sure to listen to both of them while reading this. I decided instead of making Mark an alien, why not make him the actual universe itself? Anyway, it gets angsty at the end but don't worry, nobody dies this time. As always, enjoy!
> 
> TW: apocalypse mention (it's averted don't worry), non graphic suicide attempt

Jack knew that the universe was vast, but he never expected to actually come face to face with it. That is, until today.

He'd gone out to the countryside to study the stars with his telescope, far away from the lights and noise of the big city. It was calming to him to be alone with nature and the vastness of the sky at night. Ever since he was a child, he'd been infatuated with space, hoping that one day, he'd get to go to the stars. But much to his disappointment, he was stuck here on Earth, restricted to just a telescope and a far away view. Still, Jack treasured these moments, the moments where he could be alone with his thoughts with only the stars to hear him. 

Tonight, the moon was full and the sky was clear for the first time in weeks. Jack had jumped at the opportunity to stargaze tonight after being stuck in the house for so long. He could feel the cool fall air around him, everything silent around him. It was a rare moment of peace for Jack, a chance to relax and enjoy the view. But soon, someone else broke the silence.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Jack jumped back from his telescope, certain that he'd been alone this whole time. He saw a man standing next to him, brown fluffy hair swaying with the light breeze. He was gorgeous, almost as breathtaking as the stars themselves. Jack swore that he could see the reflection of the stars in the man's eyes, but maybe he was just tired and imagining things.

"Yeah. But who the hell are you and how did you get here?" Jack tried to stay calm, trying not to panic. How'd this man even get here? There no other cars around besides his, and no other modes of transportation to get to this area. It's as if he'd just magically appeared next to Jack.

The man let out a soft laugh, staring up at the sky. "It's just as beautiful as it was in the beginning," the man said softly as stared wistfully up at the stars.

Jack had no idea what to say at this point. This guy was weird, but hopefully harmless.

"I go by Mark, by the way. At least, here on Earth," he'd said lightly.

"Um I go by Jack. But I still wanna know how you got here," Jack shot Mark a questioning look, not understanding what he meant by that last bit.

Mark sighed as he turned to face Jack, bringing his palm to Jack's forehead. "I know you want answers, but it's easier to show you than to tell you," Mark was gentle as he pressed his hand to Jack's forehead.

Jack gasped as his vision was filled with images of the creation of the universe, the dying breaths of stars, and the formation of galaxies. Everything was flooding his senses, almost like he could feel the collisions in his bones. Jack tried to catch his breath as he stumbled back, Mark's hand withdrawing from its place. Jack tried to process what he'd seen, and what exactly it meant. When he looked up, he saw something strange.

Mark's outstretched hand was a deep purple color, light emanating from his palm, and what looked like stars and galaxies floating through it. Jack couldn't believe what he was seeing. Mark was an actual alien, made from space itself. Part of Jack was terrified, but the other part felt a sense of calm. Jack stepped closer to Mark, and laid his own palm flat against Mark's. It felt cool to the touch, the lights beneath his skin swirling, the stars brightening. Jack was mesmerized by the sight, feeling a slight hum reverberate underneath Mark's skin. It was almost calming, Jack thought to himself.

"Those were my memories. I was there in the beginning, and I'll be there until the end. I remember the birth of the universe, and the death of stars," Mark spoke quietly, smiling shyly as he followed Jack's gaze to his hand.

"So what exactly are you?" Jack breathed out, still in awe of the sight before him.

"I'm the universe itself. At least, the consciousness of it anyway. I chose this form to come here to find the last missing piece of me, to prevent my premature death," Mark's smile fell as he spoke, sadness showing in his eyes.

"But what do I have to do with this?" Jack dropped his hand, looking into Mark's eyes and finding overwhelming sadness within them. 

"I don't know, but I was somehow drawn to you. You're very special, Jack. There's a plan for you, but I'm not quite sure of it yet," Mark paused, looking down to the ground. "In the meantime, may I stay with you?"

Mark looked up at him again, meeting his eyes shyly. Jack smiled at him, still slightly freaked out, but nodding. He went to pack up his equipment, letting Mark watch him work. He could feel Mark's gaze boring into his very being, a strange feeling overcoming him. He swore he could hear something echoing in his head, voices he'd never heard before. Jack brushed it off as he packed everything in the car, motioning for Mark to get in. On the drive back home, Mark had said that he hadn't been to Earth in five thousand years, and was curious about modern society. He'd asked Jack why his hair was green, and Jack had laughed as he told him about the wonders of hair dye. He was surprised that Mark had such a great sense of humor, wondering how he'd even developed it if he was in space the whole time. 

Once they got home, Jack had walked into the house, calling for Mark to follow but he was nowhere to be seen. For a moment, Jack panicked until he heard a noise in the bedroom, running to investigate it. He found Mark laying across the bed, inspecting one of Jack's collectible figures.

"What kind of matter is this? I don't remember making anything like this," Mark was staring intently at it, a puzzled look on his face. Jack laughed as he stood in the doorway, arms folded across his chest. Mark was so cute like this, questioning everything around him.

"It's a toy, Mark. Some people collect those," Jack smiled as he sat next to Mark on the bed, placing his hand next to Mark's body. Without warning, Mark sat up and grabbed Jack's hand, bringing it between them.

"Humans really are the most beautiful thing I made," Mark whispered, their faces only inches apart. Jack swallowed thickly, starting to blush already at Mark's intense gaze. Jack abruptly pulled away, standing up to grab his pajamas. 

"I'm gonna go get dressed for bed. You can borrow some of my clothes if you want to," Jack managed to get out before he shut himself in the bathroom. As he undressed, he thought of the look Mark had given him. It was like staring into the sun itself, his look heated. There was no way Mark was interested in him. After all, he was basically a god and could have anyone he wanted. But still, Jack hoped that there was something there. 

When Jack returned, Mark was already dressed and laying under the covers, his hair framing his face like a perfect portrait. A strange feeling overcame Jack, like he was being tugged towards Mark. He ignored it, turned off the lights, and slid into bed next to Mark. Mark looked even more beautiful sleeping, like an otherworldly being. Jack chuckled to himself as he remembered that Mark literally was otherworldly. He'd never get used to that. As Jack fell asleep, he could hear those echoes in his head again, haunting him.

Over the next few weeks, Jack took Mark around town, showing him everything he'd been absent for. Mark was especially fond of ice cream, Jack learned. He'd laughed when Mark had reacted weirdly to the coldness at first, jumping back from the cone in his hand. Everything Mark did was endearing to Jack, watching him experience the world around him. Jack didn't know how Mark could be so fascinated with the world when he'd literally already seen everything there was to see. He'd seen the death of solar systems, the explosions of supernovas, yet he was so intrigued by the Earth itself. It was odd, but Jack had come to accept it.

When Jack took Mark to the beach for the first time, it was then that he realized that he was in love. 

Mark was as giddy as a small child, pointing out the seashells and laying in the sand, wading through the waves. Mark looked absolutely stunning in the warm sunlight, water dripping off of him, and Jack swore he could see the universe itself shimmering beneath his skin. There were literal stars in his eyes when he looked back at Jack, smiling wider than he'd ever seen before. Jack's chest tightened at the sight, his heart catching in his throat. Is this what love felt like? He wasn't supposed to fall in love with the literal universe, but here he was. Jack was lost in his thoughts until Mark grabbed him and pulled him into the water, splashing him with the water. Jack laughed, surprised, but going along with Mark's shenanigans. As night fell, they were the only ones in the sand, staring up at the sky once again.

"What's it like up there?" Jack mused, splayed out comfortably in the sand.

"Cold and lonely. That's why I like being here on Earth, y'know? Because it's warm and no matter where you go, you're never alone," Mark's voice was laced with a hint of sadness. Jack wondered what it would be like, being completely and utterly alone in the void of space, alone with your thoughts. He tried not to think about it too hard.

"At least you're here with me though. For once you're not alone," Jack sat up and turned towards Mark, seeing him laying there, staring up sadly at the sky.

"I guess. But I'm still burdened with the knowledge of how and when I'll die, other things that man isn't meant to know. I know how your society will fall, when each person will die," Mark's voice sounded distant now, and even sadder. "But everyone is born from the universe, so even if their body dies and decays, their essence will return home to the universe, having fulfilled its purpose," Mark was sitting up now, turning to face Jack.

"So you're not really alone then? At least, technically," Jack preferred not to think about this new information, about how insignificant he really was in the grand scheme of things. He was talking to a being older than time itself, someone who knew everything that was possible to know. Did he know when and how Jack would die? Would he even try to warn him? Jack froze at that, feeling his anxiety spike. He tamped it down, focusing on Mark instead.

"The only company I have is your man made satellites. Even then, they're just hunks of metal," Mark was looking downward now, his face looking weary. 

"So we're all just insignificant little blips in the universe, right? We have no purpose," Jack was trying not to panic about that thought, tears welling in his eyes. Mark's head jerked up sharply as he grabbed Jack's hand.

"That's not true! Everyone has a purpose, no matter what they think. I created everything with a plan, and everyone is meant to do something. Nobody is worthless Jack, especially not you. You're going to do great things," Mark was leaning in close again, his breath hot against Jack's face. But before Jack could do anything, Mark turned them both towards the sky, bringing Jack's arm up to point at the stars.

"See those stars? Each one is important to my plan, even if they seem useless. Everything means something to me, even the smallest things. It's all connected to my plan, even you," Mark lowered their hands, turning back to Jack. 

"You're my starlight, Jack. And I'll follow you to the ends of the universe," Mark whispered, tears beginning to fall from his eyes. He closed the gap between them, finally bringing their lips together.

It felt like galaxies were colliding in that one moment as their lips met softly, sparks flying between them. Mark brought both hands up to cradle Jack's face, touch as gentle as ever. Jack could feel everything at that moment, like the secrets of the universe had suddenly been revealed to him. As their lips moved together, Jack threw his arms around Mark's shoulders, feeling the familiar coolness of the being's skin. The humming started again as the kiss deepened, Mark's tongue finding its way inside Jack's mouth. Jack moaned as he returned the kiss, realizing that Mark tasted like raspberries. Briefly, Jack remembered the theory of what space tasted like and tried not giggle at the fact that it was true. Eventually Jack broke the kiss, bringing their foreheads together.

"Now you don't have to be alone," Jack whispered into the night, clinging to Mark. He never wanted this moment to end. Mark let out a small laugh as he kissed Jack again. They were bathed in the light of the full moon, the waves lapping at their feet, the stars shining brighter than before. It was pure heaven for Jack, like everything had finally fallen into place.

Before long, they retreated to the car, Jack holding Mark's hand on the way home. The windows were rolled down, Mark leaning out of the side, gaze following the moon on their journey home. 

When they finally returned home, they turned in for the night, tangled up in each other, exchanging lazy kisses. As Jack fell asleep, he thought that maybe things would work out after all.

The next day, Jack could feel that something was wrong. 

There was an aching sense in his chest, like his entire being was hurting. He could tell that Mark was feeling the same way, like he was sick. He stayed out of Jack's sight until night fell, when he joined Jack outside. Maybe Jack was just seeing things, but it looked like there were far fewer stars in the sky, the remaining ones dimming. The air around him seemed heavy, his body aching. When Mark stopped next to him, he could feel the stress rolling off of Mark in waves.

"Something's wrong, Jack. It's all out of balance," Mark's voice was quiet, a sadness bleeding through. Jack could feel Mark's pain in his very soul, wondering how he could possibly feel this. 

"What does it feel like?" Jack said quietly, staring up at the emptying sky.

"It feels like I'm being ripped apart and fading away all at the same time. The missing piece is tearing everything apart. If I can't find it soon, I'll die and so will everything in existence. I'm not ready to go yet, not after I've already found you," Mark was crying now, sobbing into his hand. 

The realization of this situation hit Jack like a freight train. That's what Mark came here to do, but Jack had distracted him from his purpose. If everything ceased to exist, it would be his fault. He'd be the reason for the end of the universe, for the end of Mark. Jack could feel his heart sink at the thought, as he let the tears fall. 

"It's all my fucking fault! I distracted you and now we'll all die because of me! You should've never come to me!" Jack let himself scream into the night, collapsing onto the soft grass in a sobbing heap. Mark bent down to comfort him, pleading with him to stop.

"No, it's my fault, I lost sight of the goal. Nothing you did was wrong. I can find another way to save us, I promise," Mark pleaded through his tears, reaching out to touch Jack. But Jack flinched and pulled away from him, much to Mark's surprise.

"Just fucking leave me alone! Do you even realize what I'm feeling right now? I'm responsible for this! You've ruined my life Mark, if I never met you this wouldn't be happening! Go the fuck away!" Jack was screaming now, crying hysterically. But once the words left his mouth, Jack immediately regretted them.

"Fine. If you want me gone, I'll leave. I knew that humans were a big fucking mistake all along," Mark spat out, clenching his teeth and standing up. Before Jack could do anything, Mark began to walk away, beginning to fade.

"Goodbye, Jack," Mark's voice echoed through the night, leaving Jack alone with his thoughts and the dying sky. The ache in Jack's chest overtook his whole body, knocking the breath from his lungs. Jack clutched his chest, crying through the pain, reaching out towards the sky. It was like he'd lost a part of himself, ripped from his own soul. His vision began to blur as the pain consumed him, with only the fading stars hearing his pleas for Mark's return. Soon, his vision went black.

When Jack awoke, he was sprawled out on the lawn, body aching and soul feeling empty. He gingerly rose to his feet, and saw that the sky had grown darker, the sun growing duller. Jack sighed, accepting that it was all going to be over soon, and slowly went back inside.

It was all over the news, everyone proclaiming that it was the end of the world. People were panicking, but Jack was numb to the world around him. Each night, people would gather to watch the stars fade, counting down to the end. Jack went on with his daily routine as normal, trying to forget that he was the reason why the universe was dying, but it never left his mind. Each night, he would drink himself to sleep, hoping to drink enough to die before the end came. But no matter what he did, he always survived. He would fall asleep, an empty bottle clutched in one hand, crying out pleas to nobody, begging Mark to come home and save him, to save everyone. But he never got an answer.

Jack didn't know how long it'd been since Mark had left, as he'd given up on counting the days since he left. Everyone had accepted their fate, going on with their lives as normal, preparing for the inevitable. The ache grew worse with each passing day, the emptiness eating away at Jack's soul. He grew sicker as well, becoming weary. He didn't know why, because nobody else was. At first, he'd blamed it on Mark, but maybe it was punishment for his mistake. But still, he didn't die.

That night, he dreamt for the first time since Mark left.

He was floating in space, the aching finally gone. It was quiet and cold, the stars dying around him. He was utterly alone, with only the satellites around him. Jack wanted to cry at the beauty of it, seeing the universe die around him. It was all his fault, but at least he had a front row seat to the destruction. Suddenly, something was happening. Jack could feel his skin grow cold, changing. There was light around him, no, in him, trying to find its way out. He brought his hand to his face, seeing the few stars left, floating through his being. There were tendrils of stardust wrapping around him, cradling him in the darkness of the void. He could feel tears falling down his face, only they weren't tears. They were the essence of stars themselves, floating off into the space before him. He could see something forming in front of him from the debris of stars, someone else.

As Jack floated through the void, he saw the being, made of the energy of the universe itself, reach out for him. He felt the coldness of its touch against his cheek, wiping away the starry tears. He saw eyes, glowing a brilliant white, staring into his own. Jack reached out towards it, his hand trembling in fear, as their hands touched. Suddenly, he felt whole again and there was a bright, blinding light, and then darkness.

Jack shot up in bed, touching his face, making sure he was real. But before he could process what he saw, there was a bright light shining through his bedroom window. Jack leapt from the bed, grabbing a jacket and rushing outside. What he saw took his breath away.

A large comet was slowly crawling across the sky, a shower of meteors following it. For the first time in months, he felt peace. It was beautiful, one last dying gift from Mark. Suddenly, he heard the voices again in his head, millions of them, chiming in unison. But one stood out amongst them, the most familiar one.

"My starlight,"

Jack whipped around in the direction of the voice and froze.

It was Mark, in the flesh.

Jack didn't even think as he ran towards Mark, barrelling into his outstretched arms, holding on for dear life. He wept into Mark's chest as he held Jack tight, his tears falling into Jack's hair.

"I finally found the missing piece," Mark whispered, bringing his hand under Jack's chin and lifting his head up. Jack stared into Mark's eyes, wet with tears and the light of a thousand stars shining inside of them.

"It was right here all along," Mark dropped his hand and placed it on Jack's chest, and suddenly, Jack felt different. A coolness was spreading through his body, galaxies and constellations appearing under his skin. Jack was speechless as he stared at Mark, hoping for an answer.

"It's you, Jack. It always was. It just needed to be awakened at the right time. I told you that you were special," Mark said through his tears, bringing Jack in for a gentle kiss. When their lips met, the stars grew brighter and increased in number, and finally, the aching was gone. He felt whole at last, cherishing this moment as Mark broke the kiss. When Jack opened his eyes, he saw something incredible.

Mark's whole body was the deepest purple, stars and planets swirling inside of his being. His eyes were bright white, like the ones in his dream, his starry hair blowing in the wind. 

"It's time to go home, Jack," Mark's voice was reverberating in his head, his hand outstretched. Jack took his hand and let the change envelope his body, becoming his true form of the stars. Around them, the sky was bright with stars, the comet illuminating the two of them. As they faded, the stars returned, the two of them returning home together.

At last, the universe was whole again.

**Author's Note:**

> As always, you can find me at transantisepticeye.tumblr.com


End file.
